How we got started
From humble beginnings in 2004, Heidi and Orville Thompson swung for the fence and took a simple, safe concept and turned it into an award-winning international fragrance company: Scentsy. Early on, Scentsy operated in a 40-foot ocean container on the family sheep farm in Meridian, Idaho. Because Heidi and Orville were deeply in debt, they had to be extremely industrious and creative — graciously accepting help from family and friends — to get the company off the ground.
Heidi and Orville wanted to share their gratitude for the love, kindness and support they received from so many people every day, and to create an opportunity for others to give, too. Unlike many, their focus is not on “giving back” but to “contribute more than you take.” Their guiding vision was always to create something that would bring value to the world, establishing Generosity as one of their core values to encourage a community of contributors.
In 2021, the Scentsy Family Foundation was officially registered as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization in the United States and Canada as Scentsy’s giving arm through which they can expand their impact and extend their reach to help those who need it most. The Foundation is managed by a volunteer board of directors that receives no compensation and is committed to best representing the charitable goals and ideals of the Scentsy community.
“Acts of generosity, large and small, make a difference. The smallest act can ripple and spread and have a bigger impact than you ever imagined. We have the power to make that difference in each other’s lives and in the lives of everyone we meet. Let’s make a commitment to use that power, to nurture and cultivate a spirit of generosity in ourselves every day of our lives.”
– Heidi Thompson